


Huntress and Adventurer

by moonlightmalt



Category: Hyrule Warriors, Metroid, Metroid Series, The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Warriors
Genre: AND GAY, F/F, Gen, I read a fantastic samus fic, and ofc shes trans, just some gay fluff, mb slow burn, two actually and now i want to make one, warning samus has ptsd, we'll see where we go baybee
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-28
Updated: 2019-08-17
Packaged: 2020-03-20 15:57:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18995851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonlightmalt/pseuds/moonlightmalt
Summary: Linkle and Samus interactions. Linkle has ADHD and can't keep focused, always has to stay moving, rambles. Samus is up to her neck in problems, but makes room for Linkle, as she seems lost. Well, she doesn't /seem/ lost, but IS lost, and doesn't know it. Samus has PTSD, uses sign language. Selectively mute. expressive through body language.





	1. Leather and Metal

Saving the Galaxy wasn't by any means, an easy job. There are many who dream of being what one, or many, would consider a Hero. Saving the world, blasting baddies, and living happily ever after. Many, but not Samus Aran. The bounty hunter had just dismissed her call with one of the higher-ups at the Galactic Federation. What a headache. She raised her hand to pinch the bridge of her nose, only for metal to scrape against her visor. This was a common occurrence, and not one Samus felt any shame to anymore. It had happened enough times, that the effect was there, and that was sufficient.

In many ways, this is how she worked. Sufficiency overriding comfort, and any familiarity. New planets needing to be saved from new dangers. Never staying in one place too long, and never staying out of her Power Suit for more than a day at a time. This was how she preferred it, she thought. No use not being safe. Due to her DNA being altered as a child, to be the Galaxy's Savior, along with the functions of her suit, she didn't need much sleep, food, or water. She could go days on end without. Without nutrition, interaction, socializing, rest. None of it part of the job, none of it super necessary.

She didn't dislike it, and would enjoy preparing food and drinks. Her favorite was orange lemonade with cherries mixed in. Reminder her of herself, she thought, and allowed herself a smile. She was so pleased with herself when she finally found the right mixture of flavors for her. Red, orange, yellow. Never adding a green component, as limes were an insult to her tastes, and she didn't mind the lack of a color. Sometimes, she would use a green glass to make it up to herself. Those were special occasions. She let out a sigh, taking off her helmet to breathe a bit fresher air. 

Yes, nothing really exciting if the thing you're most looking forward to is a drink at the end of the day. At least, most would think this way, but she disregarded that. It was enough. Small things like this made her... happy, yes. A difficult thing to achieve for the veteran. She wouldn't allow her thoughts to stray that way, for if they did, she would surely be having another one of her attacks. 

Another mission completed, anyhow. Yet another corner of space having their world-ending problems dealt with and subdued. Pay would be following suit, although that wasn't the first thing on her mind; Stopping space pirates and saving lives was. Okay, enough. No need to rationalize these thoughts to herself, she knows she's not the robot many believe her to be. Maybe she would try to relax, and treat herself after. Get some of those chocolate oranges she liked so much. 

A few inputs into her arm cannon, and her power suit began to dematerialize, leaving her in a close-fitting blue bodysuit with a neon pink insignia on the back. Time to get out of that too. No use parading around in heels if she was aiming to lounge around, they'd just get in the way. She took a deep breath, and took the red band out of her ponytail, letting her hair fall to her shoulders. Next were the shoes, and so on. The ambiance of her ship's beeps and hums accompanying her went a long way to calm the huntress into a more relaxed mindset. Hearing everything work its course, no explosions, no creatures lurking by. It was nice. She took to her subtle home quite well, and she liked that it could travel. All the pluses of a moving home, with none of the setbacks. She could make any repairs around the ship, need be.

Samus set the ship to roam, searching for any unmarked planets she hadn't been to. A mostly empty practice, yet one she did often. In her line of work, one didn't really get a vacation, and she had no need for one, but she'd sometimes daydream of a time when she wasn't needed to quash evils lurking around in the darkest parts of space. Time to get away, maybe  _acually_ relax and spend some time getting to know herself. Maybe... meet someone? It had been so long since her last relationship. Zuretta was a star that shined too bright for her taste. Still though, they were something. A fun spirit, but she couldn't stay put any more than she had. Duty calls, and such. It was a difficult decision, but she felt terrible that she couldn't stay with them, when she was always being called off to different galaxies for days on end. Couldn't worry them, either.

Another sigh. A break would be nice. Somewhere calm, simple, with a nice breathable atmosphere, towns, fauna, and lakes. She hadn't been swimming in  _ages_. Not unless you'd count her dips through waterlogged passages, with all the comfort of her power suit immediately sinking her down to the bottom of the surface. Water sounded nice, actually. She set her zero suit to wash, and picked out some casual wear to put on after her shower; some orange shorts, and a croptop she miiight do without. She'll see.

A creak of metal as the handle to the faucet turned, letting the water run hot for a moment. Another deep breath, letting the sound of rushing water soothe her. She set her clothes on the counter, and bit her lip before turning to face the mirror. She grimaced a bit, passing her fingers gently over a few scars on her face. She'd been through so much, and it easily showed. Despite this, she didn't dislike the way she looked. Just... It'd been a bit since she'd slept last, is all. Yes, that must be it. Tired eyes see differently. She had a nice jaw, cool blue eyes, a dark complexion. Fierce features, sure, but not bad. She didn't have to wonder if others would find her attractive, as the girls at several bars she'd visited tended to swoon at the sight of the tall, buff warrior. 

She smiled to herself, enjoying the memory. A nod from the huntress, and a wink to her reflection, then she was adjusting the water to her liking, before stepping in and switching the water to the shower head. She flinched a bit as the water initially hit her skin, but didn't take long to get used to it. She ran a hand through her hair, frowning at the bits that came out. It was getting so long, so annoying to take care of. Samus rolled her eyes, considering taking a trip to a shopping district, or otherwise somewhere she could get it cut. Maybe. She'd been determined to let it grow, and so it had for a while. It suited her, sure, but it'd be nice to cut back on hair product. Something to think about. 

She shook her head, a small smile forming on her face. When was the last time she'd cut it, aside from the occasional trim? Must've been back in the military. No, no. Nope. Time to think of something else!! That wasn't somewhere she could let herself go again. Anything, think of the water, space, round things. She held a hand to her face, and decided to keep her hands busy, running her hair through with shampoo, trying to get it off her back. Okay, okay. Maybe it's fine. She rubbed circles in her hands, trying to calm down. Please don't panic in the _shower_ , Samus. You're safe. You're home, you're okay. You're here. She sat down, sliding against the wall until she was sitting. Why was this so hard? 

A few minutes of deep breathing passed, and she stood back up, bracing herself on the wall. She's fine, it's fine. It passed, and it won't happen again for a while. She grabbed her loofah and soaped it up before rubbing it over her curves and edges. Something felt off, but she'd just had a panic attack, so of course it did. Maybe she'd rinse her hair, by now it was probably set. She stepped under the showerhead to do so, but didn't feel any change. Curious, she put a hand to her head, only to hear a clunk of metal. 

"Uggghh. Deactivate." Her armor quickly dissipated, just as quickly as it had materialized. The huntress groaned again, clearly in dismay. She'd somehow been washing  _armor_ and didn't realize it. How silly she must have looked, with the legendary armor crafted by the Chozo's best, covered in bubbles. She gave a dry laugh, shaking her head. "Ridiculous." She  _actually_ rinsed her hair, and got to work on her body. The sooner she got out, the better, but while she was in here, she might as well relieve herself. It had been a bit since she'd been able to get her sexual needs out of the way. Maybe it'd be good for her state of mind. Certainly not the best coping method, but the most immediate. She'd do some proper self care after she got out, she promised herself. This is just to get her mind off things. 

She finished rinsing off the last of the soap, and went back to feeling her curves, keeping a hand on her dick, stroking it gently at first, curling a finger underneath to stimulate right below her head. Her other hand went to her breasts, massaging and feeling herself up. A few twists and presses on her nipples, and she didn't have any issue getting herself hard. She started stroking faster, her mind thinking back to the last time she'd had sex, trying to remember how it felt. Samus hummed to herself, enjoying the moment; a rare occurrence. 

She continued to stroke up and down her cock as she squeezed her breasts harder, adding just a hint of pain in the mix. Samus didn't like to hurt herself by any means, but some light work was up her alley, let's say. And, let's face it, marks are fun. She edged herself, getting close enough to climax at the drop of a hair, but denying herself, slowing her tempo. She continued like this for a few minutes, losing track of time in her ecstasy, and eventually gave in to her desires, grabbing her breast hard, and jacking off, making sure not to get cum over anything important. Except maybe herself, a bit. Time to clean up again.


	2. Backwater Hylia With It's Lack of Tech, and Surplus of Cuccos

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> samus finds a new planet to explore, considers the consequences of going against G.F. protocol. Good thing she's not part of their system anymore!! "Maybe I'll pick up a bounty or two while I'm here." she tells herself.

Samus Aran sat comfortably with an orange towel draped over their shoulders. Her hair was messily loose, later to be tied up. She wore something comfortable, and easy; A pair of shorts, a tanktop, and some etacoon slippers. In her hands, she held a cup of hot cocoa, mixed with pumpkin spice and a hint of pomegranate. Something warm and soothing; A necessity after her panic attack. Some gentle music played on the ship's speakers, but she didn't pay it much mind. Just some background noise.

She sipped absentmindedly from her mug, her focus more tuned to her ship's monitors. Everything is running smoothly. Energy output is optimal, engines are kicking, weapon systems are a go, all the mechanisms that need to be moving, were. A smile to herself, content at the moment, and savoring it. It wasn't often that she had a moment of bliss like this. With hunting pirates, bounties, and dealing with her past, she hardly had a moment to herself. She almost felt neurotypical, healthy for a moment. A deep breath, soothing smells from her drink, a caressing symphony of beeps, whirs and hums from her ship, and the less-appreciated music playing. Feels nice.

She didn't mind the music, she just preferred the ambiance of her ship running in perfect harmony more. To Samus, that was more beautiful than most tunes she'd heard; A mechanical system playing its part, hearing things click into place, working on the inner mechanisms and engineering... Nothing beat it. Yes, machines, ships, and anything she could repair was easier for Samus than socializing. But that's okay, she didn't have much in the way of company anyway. She... preferred it that way? Yeah? Yeah. Nobody to hurt her again. 

The huntress bit her lip, lost in thoughts she didn't want to be tangled up in. What was she thinking about a minute ago? Might be helpful to get back to that. Ah, yes, the search. Bounties to hunt, planets to find, and so on. 

A few absent scrolls made her smile fade slowly. Nothing yet, not that she was super hoping for anything. The last couple months' searches hadn't yielded much of anything she wasn't already aware of. Moons with enough that she could breathe, but little life aside from vegetation. Stars with no planets around to be supported by its warmth. Planets with people, but... too busy. Maybe she was being picky? You'd think after blasting through a few pirate lairs and bases, she wouldn't be so afraid of a little crowd, but let's face the facts.

Halfway between a sneer and a frown settled on Samus's face, not liking to think about it, and not liking that she couldn't handle it. She stood out. Not only in stature, but in legend. Samus Aran, bane of the Space Pirates. Protector of the Galaxy. 6'3", trans, and gay. Muscled, and a bit of a sore thumb when it came to fashion. So what if she liked to keep it simple? Was that such a noticeable thing? If folks can dress all out, why can't others dress all in? It confused her. 

Samus sighed, putting down her half-emptied mug, and pressing her fingers against her temples, rubbing them. Too much trouble, who knows if she'd even fit in if she  _did_ find a suitable planet?? Picky picky picky. "Don't beat yourself up," she told herself flatly. That wouldn't help anything. Back to scavenging what focus she could muster back into her ship's results. Too dry, little water. Too humid; she didn't mind rain, but she'd get sick of it being hot all the time. How hard is it to find a well-balanced atmosphere with seasons, wildlife, appropriate weather, and some form of intelligence?? She'd have to have a word with whoever was designing these star systems some day, she swears. 

A light chuckle to herself, and her smile was back. A bit crooked, but nothing wrong with that. Maybe she'd just make her own planet, that could be fun. If it were anywhere near possible. The amount of mass and land she'd have to procure would be too immense for one person to handle. She couldn't exactly shoot a seed and program it to manage its own biorhythms and weather, could she? Probably not alone, at least. And she'd have to find people, and make soooo many towns. She had a solid income, but not own-your-own-planet solid. 

A fun thought, though. Maybe she'd look into it. Her eyes lit up at the next one on her screen. She tried not to get her hopes up too much... but.... breathable atmosphere? Check. Different cultures? Check. Water, air, weather, fertile soil for crops and plantlife, tons of wildlife, too. Five seasons? A bit different, but she could adjust. Lots of people, good materials, solid architecture. Some anomalies here and there; Something about the world being split between a light and dark version. She'd had  _plenty_ of experience with that, but this didn't seem malicious, somehow. They existed somewhat in harmony.

Samus took to scrolling through several photos her ship had found of the planet. Some, may have involved hacking a few satellites for access, but that wasn't something she was uncomfortable with. She saved the galaxy a handful of times now, sharing some information was the  _least_ they could do. Gods, the  _cuisine_ on this planet looked lovely. So many different methods and styles, and they had fun with it. Not to mention, some of the agriculture was _sentient??_ For fuck's sake, that's astounding. She'd fought things like that, but she didn't expect to see more on this dinky little planetoid. The only thing missing seemed to be space travel, but maybe that was okay? 

No one could trail her if they wanted to. Maybe she could scrounge up some basic light speed engines and quasi-core flight capable ships for them. She must've had some basic blueprints for an X08 model Light Wringer somewhere. Not the most advanced ship, mind you, but it'd be enough to get you to and fro. Judging from the indicators, there were sufficient materials on the surface, and anything she needed, she was sure she could order or find elsewhere. The startup kits for making your own celestial bronze mines were preeeetty advanced at this point. Samus had seen a few infomercials, and sounded like bullshit, but she read up on it, and it's not as shady as you'd think. 

Okay, okay. She bounced her leg up and down in place, grinning into her almost forgotten cocoa. She could pop by the galaxy, camp on the surface, try not to cause too much of a ruckus, and see for herself what this place had to offer. Apparently, there was a very promising and bustling (but not  _too_ busy, mind you,) Castle Town around the midwest. Maybe she could land around there, talk to some locals, get an eye for their fashion, etc. Suits of armor weren't uncommon, so maybe she could blend in with her power suit. 

Okay!!! Enough hypotheticals, let's get crusin!! She punched in some coordinates, triple checked all her monitors, confirming that her systems were all optimal; They were. "Right. Let's set course for Hylia!!" She dipped her forearms into one of her monitor's hologram apparatus, her giddiness almost tangible, ( the buzzing up her arms from the ship's control interface wasn't helping, but felt nice anyway, ) she moved forward, lurching the ship into hyperdrive, bypassing several light-travel rings, devices to regulate and cushion any potential interference with the mode of transportation, and before long, set the ship on auto-pilot so she could rest a bit, and prepare for her landing next morning. She hadn't been this excited in  _ages_ , and she had hardly fallen asleep. Too much energy and anticipation for the next day. 


	3. ok tbh this one shouldve had the last chapter title

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> now they meet!!!!

Samus had just woken up when her ship entered the orbit of Hylia. She could hardly sleep last night with all the exciting thoughts buzzing around her head, but a light sedative push from her antidepressants did the trick. The last winks of sleep were rubbed out of her eyes, as she made her way to the cockpit to enjoy the view. She couldn't believe her eyes; Everything was so... expansive. There were towns, and clear signs of civilization, yes, but there was so much untapped land. Sprawling fields and oceans, uninhabited, untouched. No looming skyscrapers or smog-filled city. In fact, a quick check from her analyzers, and she saw there was little to no pollution here. Some poisonous lifeforms, but nothing like smoke or litter. What luck that Hylia has never been invaded by outsiders looking to capitalize on their vast resources. A shake from her head cleared the thought from it, like an etch-a-sketch.

She'd try and make sure that would continue not to happen. Her tracks were covered, and no one knew she was here. All safe. Samus had stocked up on a  _lot_ of supplies before her little journey, and she was about to start making use of them. With a stifled yawn, she headed to the ship's kitchen to make some breakfast. After a few button presses on the wall, something most closely resembling bossa nova started playing gently through the kitchen. 

Maybe something she hadn't had in a while? Breakfast wasn't her strong suit, as she typically woke up in crisis mode, defending planets, blasting shit, blah blah blah. It's annoying and hardly worth mentioning at this point; it was like brushing your teeth at least twice a day. Hard to do on a decaying planet, but manageable and a daily event. Yes, she's  _tried_ therapy of course, but she hadn't found the right one. Someone who'd actually listen, and wasn't just interested in her suit, her "motives" and her in general. Unprofessional lot. One of her first ones had told her to just try masturbating??? Like, that man should've been fired on the spot. Or hauled to jail. Both. No amount of sexual pleasure would cure trauma. ANYWAY. Pancakes. Butter, pancake mix, frying pan- a bit old fashioned, but effective- and she set to work. Before you ask, obviously there's fruit in them, specifically blueberries and raspberries. She likes things Round, and she likes things Soft. Breasts do come to mind, maybe a bit more often than she'd like, but this was no time to think about that!! 

She continued to think about that as she read through bounties posted on Hyrule's.... limited online access. Which is to say, billboards and signs seen from her ship's scanners. At least no one could track her odd Ping searches. ( Why are hummingbirds so small are they okay?, how much water to live per day, gay dating apps, lesbian dating apps, is it socially acceptable to wear a suit over armor, is it socially acceptable to wear a DRESS over armor, cats in suits,) 

Don't tell anyone. Samus isn't afraid of being silly, but she doesn't get fashion, and she doesn't want to seem like she doesn't get fashion. She finished up her pancakes and eggs.... Wait, she forgot the eggs again. She finishes her  _just pancakes i guess_ and rolls her eyes at herself before scrambling some eggs with her arm cannon bc  _fuck_ waiting more minutes for them to cook. She's patient, sure, but she wanted to get ready already and touch base with the planet. Can't sit still, this one. A bounty had already been claimed by Samus; a duo mission with another huntress on planet. Why wait to socialize?, Samus figured. They'd be facing some of the most ferocious beasts Hylia had to offer. A couple glasses of water to wash down her breakfast, her estradiol, and her spironolactone, and she was punching in commands to land in a nearby forest. She'd picked out an outfit the night before, even though she'd be wearing her trademark Varia suit anyway. Couldn't hurt to have something cute and breathable underneath!! Maybe she'd go for a swim later.

                                                                              ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Leaves rustled in the wind, a few nocturnal insects and animals could be heard throughout the forest. Cicadas were chirping, filling the air with their familiar summer serenade. A warm, and gentle breeze blew across Faron's Forest. Sacred statues lay still, though an observant soul could still pick up on the magic subtly churning underneath the stone. The dim sky lit the world in shades of blue, as the sun wouldn't be up for a few hours, same as the citizens of these quaint woods. With so little light pollution, said skies above were clear as still water, with just as much life spread across it. The stars were shining in full force, decorating the cosmos in a myriad of colors and sparks. Yes, by all means, this was a peaceful night. 

However, the leaves begin to flow at an abnormal speed, threatening to flee their branches prematurely. Trees bellow from the force of an unseen ship that's all too familiar to us, but completely unknown to the residents of Hylia. The grass parts in waves, as if ready to make way for Samus's gunship landing. It does so with little to no sound, maybe just a particularly bold gust of wind. 

One handful of beats later, and Samus emerged from her ship, sporting a sports bra, a headband, and some shorts.  She was holding something resembling a mix between a clipboard and a tablet, with projections of images and text that floated several inches above it. Some kind of checklist, presumably. "Let's get to work," she grinned to herself.  _First thing's first, let's check the gravity._ The huntress bounced up and down in place, with a few jumps here and there, and began to jog around the perimeter of her landing site, getting a feel for how moving around should feel normally. 

When visiting a new planet, or anything resembling one, she would always do a few rituals. It got her out of her head, and gave her something healthy to... not quite _obsess_ , but focus on for a couple hours. When in any new situation, one should establish what normalcy looks and feels like. Samus first learned this when she started medication that helped, but certainly changed her headspace a bit. Nothing negative, mind you, just different. Her antidepressants kept away the lows, but originally brought down the highs as well. It was upsetting, and she felt unfeeling for a bit, felt neutral, but she learned to overcome this, and enjoy the moments when she did feel happy, and excited. 

Let's see, finished the jog. Gravity is more or less what she expected, not too bouncy, but definitely lighter than she's used to. Her suit automatically adjusts her sense of gravity to ease her movement, and so that she doesn't fly off unexpectedly, but she still found fun in adjusting to it herself. If she were to live here, hypothetically, or at least visit often, she'd have to do so at some point, and she very well couldn't stay in her suit forever. At least, not if she wanted to pursue any romantic or sexual relations here. 

So!! Let's move on, get that out of our head. For now. Gravity, check. Gathering samples. She circled back around to some nuts and berries she'd found on her jog, and slipped them into her holograph's analyzer to have data extracted from it. Maybe they were edible. Maybe.... Okay, so the nut  _can_ be eaten, but apparently its more common use is a flashbang????? What the fuck. What the fuck,,

Moving her head away, her eyes closed, she tossed it to the ground, and sure enough!! It exploded with a probably blinding flash of light. That's fucked up, that plants just Do That without having anything done to them. What if you cooked it and it did that in your mouth??? Is that part of the cuisine here? Just eating a damn flashbomb nut??? She hoped not. 

On the other hand, the berries were just berries, thankfully. As fascinating as the other discovery was, Samus was relieved to find that not every plant would be weaponized by default. She munched on them, getting a taste, as they seemed to be edible. A little bitter, but nothing worse than gas station coffee. Which brings her to her next problem. For the life of her, she couldn't recognize most of the written language here. Her suit's visor had been translating everything for her in real time, but now, being out of it, she was pretty lost. Maybe she could purchase a guidebook/language module to learn some key phrases and go on from there.

Verifying her ships results, she continued going down her list for about an hour and a half, and finished up as the sun began to crack through the morning's blues, basking everything in a soft orange light. Samus made sure to catch the sunrise, and she was ecstatic that she did, it was gorgeous. What little clouds were in the sky were illuminated in pinks, purples, and oranges as the sun gently rose over the horizon. 

                                             !!~*~*~*~*~*~*!!

 The familiar call of her feathered friends woke Lace with a warm feeling spreading through her heart. Greeting each new day, starting with the town's cuccos never failed to bring a sleepy smile to the girl's face. Any remaining winks of sleep were soon rubbed out of her eyes as she sat up, and got ready to make breakfast. The weather vane predicted good skies for today, which would no doubt be helpful in her Request she'd agreed to help out with.  

Kakariko Town had a billboard of sorts where folks could put up requests for help around the house, with more serious issues like monsters, lost items or people, and the occasional fetch quest. Lace, being the Legendary Hero, made a point to take at least one a week, if not more, to ease the strain of others. Today!! For instance, she'd be working with a traveler who wasn't from around these parts. She was super jazzed about this, as she's one to just  _adore_ meeting new people. Maybe after the task, they wouldn't be busy, and Lace could show them around town. 

She could only hope; the more friends, the merrier!! But before all that, one should start with breakfast and getting dressed. The adventurer's usual not-afraid-to-get-down-n-dirty clothes were prepped from the night before, so she went about putting them on. She tossed off her night gown and pyjama pants. Living alone had its perks; namely, that she could wear whatever clothes she wanted, or lack thereof. Mm. Bathroom first? Yeah. Okay, that's through, so breakfast, but what was the weather for today again? Vane said clear, right, right. A look through her cabinet and fridge, and quickly enough, she'd prepared some wildberry pancakes with courser bee honey, and butter. She had syrup, but didn't super want any, because they're better when they're less sticky. 

The berries themselves were a treat!! Hard to come by, as they really only grow north west, around snowy parts of Tabantha and the surrounding areas where it's cold enough. Super sweet though, and juuuust a little bitter aftertaste if you left them to dance on your tongue too long. Another appeal of them is that they turn most things you eat pink!! Which is just,  _real_ rad. 

Halfway through breakfast and reading through Traysi's latest rumor mill, Lace had wondered if she'd forgotten something. Ah dang!! She was gonna be late again!!! Always losing track of time, she swears. Gotta get like, some kinda reminder system running. Maybe colored bands? Maybe notes. Oh, she should leave a note on the door in case anyone looks for her. Yeah. Fuck wait, no goddess damn, she was late, Focus, Lace. Okay, finished with breakfast, she took her hormones, brushed her teeth, put on her outfit, wrote a quick "gone on request - Lace Fallon" note on her door, and fuck she forgot her boots. How. How. 

Okay,  _now_ she was out the door. Crossbows in hand (boots,,, she wasn't brazenly pointing them everywhere), some supplies (namely, snacks and some bait to catch the missing pet. The snacks were for her and this armored stranger she'd be meeting, not the pet. Muffins probably weren't great for Ms. Nose. ) Anyway, with that she made her way through town, meeting Cado. How he managed to keep losing his birds, she would never know. Maybe it was because you could practically walk over his fence without any trouble. Lace rolled her eyes, grinning, and sure to greet everyone she passed on her way. 

Lasli's fireflies were all doing great so far. A few weeks back, she'd complained about not seeing as many recently, so of _course_ Lace had to show her a spot right by the bridge where they would flock together, and caught her some, along with ideal habitat condition-things for them. She'd since been getting updates from Las about how great they're doin, and how she'd gotten her hands on a few blue and green ones!! This made them both very happy.

A couple minutes of walking, talking, and the occasional stop to let some frogs hop by, and she was at Cado's doorstep. So listen, Hyrule customs are weird and different from ours, dear reader. You might knock up on someone's door, or perhaps text them "open,, ur door,,, stop,, having it be closed" to signal your arrival. Throw away that notion for sake of suspension of disbelief. You can just take a little step on your action-step trashcan, crumple that concept up, and close the lid behind it, never to be seen again. 

She just walked right in. Slid the door open, unannounced and smiled her way through!! This isn't rude somehow, because Hyrule Customs and Culture. You can read more about this in the brochure you received. Cado expected her, of course, and didn't budge at his door being suddenly opened.

The scent of applenut tea filled the air. He'd made three cups, one of which was being held delicately above a little plate, in the hand of a heavily armored figure. Lace's smile didn't quite falter, but threatened to, as their appearance was certainly off-putting. For one, one of her arms was something resembling a cannon? She'd seen her fair share of prosthetics, and didn't have any issues or judgement to be dealt out. If anything, she kinda thought they were cool? Like you always see pirates with them, and pirates are rad as heck, and accepting, so prosthetics are obviously all those things. 

A cannon is intimidating, not prosthetics, is what she's saying. She's not one to judge anyway, so she kicks off her boots, though it seems their new guest has not. It's fine, maybe they have different customs. She sits down, bows to Cado, then to Samus, and sips absently at her tea, thanking her host for it. "Nice to see you again, Cado!! Is your ex still avoiding you?" Rude Bitch disease is a terrible thing. She'd meant to ask "Have things gotten any better with your wife?" but it came out in that heap of a sentence. It didn't help that she'd basically courted his now, ex-wife? On accident!!

She was helping around, Rola wanted her to light some torches near the shrine. Lace, being an excellent archer, and a town hero of sorts, took on the simple request, and had incidentally looked  _very_ attractive doing it, so Rola maayyyybe fell head over heels for her. She wasn't complaining, mind you. Her arrow prices had 'mysteriously' gone down, and the flirting wasn't unwelcome. 

Cado coughed into his hand, refocusing Lace's attention to him. "I'm sorry sir, I didn't mean for it to come off like that. I'm sure she'll come around eventually!!" 

"Yes, I'm still holding out for that, thank you dear." 

The armored traveler tilted their head, but only received a vague gesture shooing off the question. He put down his tea, and started signing along with his words for Samus's benefit. He didn't know if they were hard of hearing, or deaf, but it seemed to be their preferred method of speaking. They used a specific one-handed language that wasn't terribly unreadable compared to the Hyrulean counterpart. 

"Ahem. Lace, this is Samus. From what I've been told, she isn't much one for words, but is methodical and efficient. This stuff is probably a little below her pay grade, but she's told me she doesn't mind." 

Oh!! They're a she, that's cool!! Gotta remember that. Make a good first impression, Lace. She beams a smile at Samus, and puts out her hand for a shake. Samus obliges, after gently setting down her tea. Lace tried her best to make eye contact, but was only greeted with a green reflection of the room around her. Nevertheless, she tried. "My name's Lace!! Welcome to our town, it's a really lovely place. If you need any guidance around after this, let me know, okay? I'd be happy to show you around!!" she grinned.

Samus's hand was surprisingly soft to the touch. She'd expected the cold shock of armor, but was greeted with the warmth and comfort of what almost felt like leather. No baby smooth, mind you, but cozier than metal. Oh!! Right, hold on. She let go, and signed what she'd just said. She was admittedly a little rusty, and may have used the wrong word for "tell me" but... maybe context clues would fill her gaps. 

Samus nodded, and brought her fingertips to the chin of her helmet, moving a flat hand from there, outwards toward Lace. She, in return, gave a thumbs up to her "thank you." 

They locked eyes for a moment, then went back to their tea; Samus only holding hers, though her cup was partially emptied. Maybe she snuck a sip while no-one was looking. Cado spoke up again, saying "So, as you already know, some of my precious cuccos have escaped again. Ms. Nose, Lettie, and Howl. I can't leave my duties for long enough to go search for them, lest my other babies get out. I'd appreciate if you two could go about bringing them home for me. You'll both be rewarded, mind you, and it would warm this old man's heart."

Samus nodded again, and started signing a little faster than Lace was used to. She caught some main words, such as "threats", "danger", and "contact", but wasn't sure about those first two. Sure, if you threatened the birds, they'd give you hell over it, but other than that, they were calm, and quite easy to transport. Maybe she's from Death Mountain, where they don't have many birds like cuccos? Hard to tell, but the armor makes more sense that way if she's Hylian. 

A hearty laugh came from the guard, almost making Lace spill her tea from surprise. "No, no, dear. I don't believe you need any extra protection than you've got. My sweethearts shouldn't lay a talon on either of you. If they do happen to, tell me, and I'll cut back their berries for a bit." He paused, finishing off his tea. "If something does happen, I'll either be here, or out in front of Impa's place," he pointed. 

A couple minutes later, and the two were out the door, assuring him they wouldn't let him down.  


	4. new in town

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> vry self indulgent fanfic continues!! im happy this has as many hits as it does!!

Lace has some truly different sign language; I'll have to read into Hylian vocabulary and dialect when I get the resources to. I appreciate the effort put in by them, even if I can hear them perfectly; having signing be immediately accepted and returned as a language is refreshing. It's generally good practice out in space to know at least key phrases, but holding actual conversation can be touch and go. Speaking of, I should get back to ours.

"So, I assume you've already been greeted, but welcome to Kakariko Village!! We're happy to have you here, the village has always had a soft spot for travelers...." They trailed, putting a fist to their chin. "Given they don't try anything. We do have guards for a reason," they continued, signing along for my benefit. From what I understand, it's good practice for them too. I found myself staring at them, taking in their features, studying them? Yes. I've certainly seen people with elongated ears, but they seemed a common trait on this planet. Maybe just this town? More research, always learning. They took a sharp breath in, adding "Oh!! Not that I think you're up to anything!! Sure, you're mysterious, but you don't seem the type to cause trouble. At least I don't think?" 

I laughed softly through my nose, a sound that probably didn't penetrate my helmet. I waved my hand back and forth, waiving off the hypothetical assumption. Considerate, this one.  _Tell me more about the birds we're tracking? I've heard they can kill,_ I signed. They snorted, and failed to hold back from giggling, settling for half-covering their mouth with their hand.

"Where'd you hear that?"

_Researching Hylian legends and rumors. I'll admit I'm not from here, so I don't have great resources._

"Cuccos are only violent when attacked, I don't think they'd go so far as to kill people. Monsters or predators, maybe, but they're not prone to attacking."

_Define monsters for me? Nothing like Zebesians, I'd hope?_

They crinkled their nose, focusing for a second, before admitting they didn't know 'that word', using the sign I'd made for Zebesian. I wasn't sure how to describe them without giving away I was from another planet, so I decided to gloss over it, and re-inquire about their monsters. 

"Like bokoblins, moblins, lizalfos, and so on."

_My turn to be confused. I don't recognize any of those._

They raised a brow at me before furrowing both of them, asking "I'm surprised you don't? They're a really common problem like, everywhere!! They don't seem to invade towns, but outskirts, paths, and basically anywhere you find yourself in Hyrule, they're hard to miss."

Fuck fuck. Make an excuse, distract from the conversation, maybe brush it off as like, having different words for them? 

_I don't get out much. Works keeps me busy._

"Hm. I guess that tracks. You deserve a night out, then!! Maybe after this- oh, hey!! There's Howl!! C'mere baby, shake those feathers!! We need to get you home immediately"

I turned to see what she was calling to, and saw a fluffy white bird pecking at the ground. This is what I was afraid of? I'm part bird, I'm sure I could handle this sweetheart. Still, looks can be deceiving. My partner walked over to Howl and just picked her up, making sure her feet were secured, and held her close to their body,  making some reassuring bird sounds. One down, I suppose?

"Do you wanna hold her? You said you've never seen a Cucco before, and it might help to get over your fear of them!!" Lace offered excitedly. I put my hand up to my chin, pinkie and thumb out, letting them know they were wrong.  _I am not afraid of that_ _cotton ball,_ I spat. The nerve!! I've fought dragons five times their size, and they think I'm afraid of some- 

Lace suddenly held Howl out towards me, and my body betrayed me, jumping at the sudden movement for some unknown reason. I squinted at them, staring unseen daggers. I hoped they could feel them, but given that they were still giggling and teasing, this seemed very unlikely. Okay, Samus, a huntress never comes unprepared. I turned away for a moment, explaining that I needed to prepare first, did so, and then quickly spun around, taking the bird. 

Lace snorted at me yet again, pointing at me with much gusto, exclaiming, "AH, what are you doing!!! That's not how you hold farm birds!!" I looked from them to my arm cannon, which donned both a falconry glove with loose fingers, and a perched Cucco, and back to them, tilting my head in confusion.  _Don't be silly, this is proper technique for most birds of prey. The glove is for-_

"No, I know what the glove does!!! Why is it on your cannon? And why have it, cuccos don't have that much of a death grip!!" 

 _Well, I wouldn't be able to sign if I had it on my free hand. And how was I supposed to know it couldn't crush metal? You have plants around here that explode, anything could happen._  

"I- Yeah, okay, I'll give you that, but you're also being a huge dork."

_A huge what?_

They raised their eyebrows at me, putting a hand on their chest in shock. Apparently a common word here. They closed their hands into fists, and bounced them in the air a few times; not a sign, just thinking of how to explain. "Uhm, dork, you know? Silly, fun, bad jokes, cute." I mimicked their shocked expression, careful not to move Howl around too much. She was just pecking around at my armor, thankfully not doing any harm.  _My my, flirting on the job, Lace?_ I teased, testing the waters a bit. 

They let out a huff, crossing their arms at me, but not before signing that it was  _not_ a flirtatious word. Okay, okay, that's one button pushed, let's move on. I rescinded the accusation, and thanked them for the explanation, and they explained they were only joke upset, so that evened out. They bounced on their heels for a beat before suggesting we find the other two before it got too late in the day. It was already about noon, now? I wonder if they need to eat soon. Gauging from Howl's investment in the ground earlier, I'd say the other two have already found a snack. At any rate, I nodded my agreement, and allowed Lace to lead me up the hill around town. Good senses on this one, getting higher ground to spot out our targets. 

Seeing Kakariko from up here was nice. I smiled softly to myself, enjoying how quaint and welcoming the folks here have been so far. I hope this generosity towards travelers carries throughout my stay on this planet. Oh, right, the mission. I turned to Lace, who was still peering into the distance, and I would have interrupted them, but instead I found myself eyeing over their features again.

Short hair, ruffled by the wind, a fair complexion with a sizable amount of freckles, which helped their hair frame their face very nicely. Their eyes were a deep brown, warm and comforting. They had a cute, simple look about their clothes. Focusing on function, but not altogether ignoring comfort and expression. Oh damn, how long have they been looking back at me? Lace laughed to herself for a second before apparently repeating, "I see them together under one of the sheds," they pointed out for me. I nodded my thanks, and took the lead this time. We soon secured Lettie and Ms. Nose, and brought them back to Cado's without any trouble. 


End file.
